


The One Where Merlin and Arthur First Meet

by n00blici0us



Series: The Gym AU [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Merlin Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-27
Updated: 2011-08-27
Packaged: 2017-10-23 03:05:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/245593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/n00blici0us/pseuds/n00blici0us
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lance drags Merlin to his gym and he meets Arthur, the cute yoga instructor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The One Where Merlin and Arthur First Meet

It was all Lance’s fault. Wait, no, it was all Gwen’s fault for dragging them to that dreadful post-modern dance show. Never mind that Merlin was so bored that he nearly poked his eye out with his program just as the first dancer “birthed” herself out of the writhing masses on the stage, Lancelot still figured it counted as Merlin’s pick of entertainment that week. They had this tradition, the three of them, starting back at college, where each one of them would take turns picking the weekend activity. It was fun, and, especially in Merlin’s case, it almost always made someone try something new. Somehow Gwen had tricked Merlin into picking this dance show. Lancelot picked next. He leaned across Gwen sitting between them and whispered fiercely during a smattering of applause heralding the end of the first 1 hour movement, “My gym, Emyrs, 9AM sharp, this Saturday.”

Merlin groaned. He wasn’t a huge fan of going to any gym, let alone Lance’s gym where the women were perky and toned and the men were fit and often glistening with sweat… Lance, on the other hand, was in great shape, playing football most weekends and completely fitting into his gym on any other night. When they finally got out of the show—“3 hours, Gwen, really? 3 hours to witness the birth of Gaia, the earth mother?”—Merlin looked at Lance accusingly, “Why doesn’t Gwen have to go this Saturday?”

“Because I’m his girlfriend,” Gwen answered smugly. Merlin made a face. Ever since they had gotten together freshman year of college, Lance had never grown out of giving in to her every whim. “Plus, I have rehearsal Saturday mornings.” She was currently in a production of Swan Lake and had had rehearsals most weekends.

“Lance, mate, you know this is a really bad idea, right? Remember what happened the last time you tried to get me to do something that required physical coordination?” It had been a disastrous football game that made Lance swear off letting Merlin ever go back onto the field, relegating him to the stands instead. “Me, in a gym? Where I can potentially drop heavy things on myself and others?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Lance said. “One of my footy buddies teaches a class. It’s easy, low impact. It’ll be great.”

Out of deference to Gwen’s rehearsal schedule, they hadn’t gotten properly smashed on a Friday for weeks, so Merlin was able to get up in time and stumble to the gym class just in time to meet Lance. It was still a bit early for his taste, given that he had stayed up nearly half the night playing his rpg before remember his Saturday commitment. “Morning,” Lance said as he caught up to Merlin in the parking lot of his gym.

Merlin eyed him with distrust. “You look too perky.”

“Endorphins,” Lance said, with a waggle of his eyebrows.

“TMI!” Merlin yelled, covering his ears. “I don’t want the sordid details of your heterosexual relationship with my best friend!”

“I thought I was your best friend,” Lancelot smirked.

“You’re my best friend when you don’t drag me to the gym,” Merlin sulked. Lance signed them in and they skipped the locker room—perks of an early morning workout meant that one came dressed for the gym—and went straight to the class, a hardwood floor studio with wall-to-floor mirrors. Merlin stood by Lance awkwardly. The class was pretty full, muscular guys standing around in loose gym shorts, some stretching on the floor, black mats spread out on the floor. Merlin turned towards Lance, “What’s this class again?”

Before Lance could answer, the door to the studio opened and a fit, tan, blonde man walked in. He clapped his hands together, “Okay, guys, let’s get started with sun salutations.” Everyone stood on their own mat and began stretching in earnest.

Merlin turned toward Lance and hissed at him, “Yoga? You brought me to a fucking yoga class?”

“Problem?” Merlin looked up from his own awkward fake stretching to stare right into the very blue eyes of the instructor.

“Um,” Merlin stammered. “Just… getting excited about yoga.”

The instructor smirked. “I’ve never seen you here before.”

Lance unbent from his folded over position, “Arthur, this is my mate Merlin that I was telling you about. Merlin, this is my footy friend who teaches the class.”

Merlin stuck out a hand self-consciously to the man, Arthur. “Er, hullo. Merlin Emrys. Pleased to meet you.” He was acutely aware of the entire class staring at them and felt himself start to redden.

“God, your ears get red,” Arthur said frankly, grinning widely and showing slightly crooked teeth. He walked up to the front of the studio, “Let’s go into our stretches, shall we?”

One hour later, Merlin was biting his lips to hold back his groans as he settled into the savasana pose. “Breathe out,” Arthur said quietly. “Now that every part of your body has been relaxed, start coming back to life. Wiggle your fingers and your toes, slowly.” This was definitely Merlin’s favorite part of the class. After an hour of contorting his body into positions that he didn’t even know bodies could achieve, and watching Arthur’s lean body twist and turn, he felt like he was on the knife point of pain. But now, he couldn’t even start wiggling his toes; he was too relaxed, sprawled bonelessly on his borrowed mat. As Arthur continued to walk the class through the waking up process, Merlin let the sound of his voice wash over him and just relaxed. He cracked open an eye only when he felt a not-so-gentle nudge on his leg.

“Get up lazybones,” Lance said. “We’re meeting Gwen for lunch, remember?”

“Mmm,” Merlin moaned, closing his eyes again. “I can’t. I’m way too comfortable. Just leave me here.”

“I’d love to have you in my next class. It’s advanced yoga.”

Merlin blinked his eyes and looked out through a small crack, “Perish the thought.” He pushed himself up on his elbows with a low groan. “God I hurt all over. Who knew stretching could be so hard?” He reached out a hand imperiously. “Pull me up.” Merlin expected Lance to haul him unceremoniously to his feet like so many late night study sessions in college. Instead, Arthur reached over and grabbed Merlin’s hand. Merlin shivered a bit at the contact and let Arthur pull him up, pull him close.

Arthur’s breath was suddenly right next to him. “Let me take you to dinner,” he murmured, a soft voice in Merlin’s ear.

Merlin gaped at him for a second, “What? But I was…” he flails his arms about wildly, “all non-bendy and clumsy. Worst yoga-er ever.”

“You’re terrible at yoga,” Arthur admitted. “But for whatever reason, I like you. So, let me take you to dinner. It’ll be sufficiently non-mobile so that you won’t fall over your own feet.” He looked at Merlin with an open, honest expression on his face, not even caring that he was asking him out in front of a room full of sweaty guys. Lancelot coughed and pretended to look away.

“Um,” Merlin stammered, caught off guard by the intensity of Arthur’s stare. “Okay,” he finally answered and smiled.

Arthur grinned back. “It’s a date.”


End file.
